After launching six months ago, the business has flourished, prompting the 23-year-old Galleria resident to recently relocate from The Kitchen Incubator to a larger facility inside the Bridal Mall at Loop 610 and U.S. 59 and to enlist her mother, Farida Rupani, to help with orders.

Cacao & Cardamom products also were slated to be in Whole Foods Market stores by the end of January, Annie Rupani said.

Rupani, who grew up in Sugar Land, graduated from St. Agnes Academy and completed her education at Boston University in 2011, intent on becoming a lawyer.

While studying for the Law School Admission Test, she took breaks by reading about making chocolate and began making confections. She became absorbed in the task.

"I've always been interested in food and obsessed with Hawaiian cacao," said Rupani, who is single. "I researched the process, ordered chocolate and began to play with it. I had a mini-tempering machine and 30 pounds of chocolate. One day a week I worked on it."

After a trip to Pakistan to assist with her parents' company, The Rupani Foundation, which aims to reduce poverty and promote entrepreneurship, she located a pastry school in Malaysia and became educated in more formal chocolate processes.

Classes in molding cocoa butter, trying various ingredients, working with fruit purees and partaking in a display class helped Rupani finesse her skills.

"I knew how to make a bonbon, but didn't know how to do different colors," she said.

"I learned how to use chocolate in every medium."

When people see her chocolates, "everyone thinks they're painted rocks or soaps. They can't fathom they're chocolate," Rupani said.

She was encouraged by the response to her products at events including the Metro Cooking Event, I Do! Bridal Soiree, the Williams Sonoma Artisan Market, Dallas Chocolate Festival, the Houston Curry Crawl and numerous holiday markets.

Prices for collections range from $10 to $40.

Chocolates are sold in sets of four, seven, 12 and 16 pieces.

Rupani also has a "chocolate piñata" cake that showcases 35 flavors in one huge party favor.

Recent bride Donna Mahmoudi ordered favors for her small wedding from Rupani.

"This isn't anything anyone has seen before. Her chocolate is amazing," Mahmoudi said. "I'm a sucker for the green Buddha. They're really extraordinary and look like charms. I'm amazed at the colors and shapes. They make you very curious. It's not super sweet, but very fulfilling and satisfying."

The diversity of Rupani's flavors is evident in her website's description of one of the pieces: "Garam Masala Pistachio: A warm, spice dark chocolate ganache steeped in cloves, coriander, nutmeg, star anise, cardamom and finished with the crunch of pistachio gianduja."

Rupani, who grew up with Indian food spices such as cardamom, says the company is an extension of her palette.

"I feel very fortunate being such a baby company. A lot has happened in six months," she said.

"There's not a lot of chocolatiers in Houston. I work a lot to have something aesthetically pleasing."

She believes she's brought something new to Houston.

"I never expected this kind of reaction or to make a business out of it. I'm being schooled by life. It's been a roller coaster," Rupani said.